The Tales of Beedle the Bard
by Beautiful Allusion
Summary: my own attempt at a story from the Bard. The Foolish Townsfolk. Magic cannot save you from every situation, especially not those of your own making. A brave soldier teaches the townsfolk through his many vows, to never assume everything they hear is true


**The Tales of Beedle the Bard:**

**The Foolish Townsfolk**

There was once a young warlock by the name of Christian, whom had fought bravely for three long years within a great wizarding war. Once the war was close to over, grievously injured, the brave young man was discharged, and offered payment for his valiant services. Denying such claims of greatness, the warlock began his journey to the nearest safe haven, and took up lodgings within the closest inn.

For many days and nights the young warlock recovered, and through his torment he was visited night and day by the townsfolk, eager to hear of his triumphs within the Great War. Without uttering a word of his feats, for the warlock was a gentle and kindly soul who wished for no great worship from the many he had fought to protect, the wizard made swift recovery, and took up position as a barkeep within his new found home.

One morning, a great gushing could be heard from outside of his window, and the young warlock made his way quickly outside to see if he could be of any assistance. As he opened the door to the inn, he was met by the sight of many of the townspeople, surrounding the darkened figure of a man, boasting of his triumphs within the war.

The townspeople were in awe, and as the warlock became noticed outside of the inn, he found himself carried forwards by the tide of people to be reunited with the other soldier, with whom the townsfolk assumed he would be favourably acquainted.

Now, the darkened figure grew wary. He was not the brave and gallant fighter he had expressed himself to be, and had only been in search of free food and shelter as his dishonourable discharge from the war had left him alone and penniless in a harsh and unfamiliar land.

Though dishonest, the darkened figure was that of a shrewd and cunning wizard named Isiah. With a look of deep shock, he assessed the man the townsfolk presented to him, and in a state of great distaste, proclaimed no knowledge of the man before him.

Christian the young warlock remained passive, weary from the endless duelling and spell casting of the war. But the townspeople still in awe of Isiah's false accounts turned on the valiant warlock with little hesitation.

Treacherous his actions were described, proclaiming to be a great survivor and patriot to the wizarding community and deceiving the trust of the townsfolk, had earnt Christian his sentence to death.

Fearing that in the death of his advisory all truth would be revealed, Isiah instead challenged the young warlock to a duel, noticing the weakened state of the wizard since the closing of the Great War.

With little hesitation, the young warlock simply turned away from his unworthy foe, retreating to the comfort of his new home, where he vowed to stay in the wake of the townspeople's blind loyalty. As Isiah the dark wizard shouted after him of his weak minded state, Christian made another vow to remain ignorant of the townspeople's concerns, so long as they were to follow in shrouded inanity the desires of such a manipulative wizard.

Many days and nights passed and the young warlock remained true to his vows, remaining absent within the towns concerns, as they waited hand and foot on the dark and mysterious figure of Isiah. But one night, as the early chirp of nightfall fell within the town, Christian was awoken to the sounds of chaos outside of his window.

Opening the shutter, the young warlock was met with the sight of a dozen dark wizards, survivors of the war trying desperately to embed another branch of terror in the wizarding community.

A young maiden passing below his window, saw his figure and in desperation, fell to her knees weeping, begging for him to raise his wand and protect her from harm. With deep regret, the young warlock retreated from his window, closing the shutters and remaining hidden within his own home as he had vowed.

The maiden wept, and with sudden realisation, gathered the hand of her passing friend and ran swiftly towards the current lodgings of Isiah. With a harsh knock, the dark figure appeared in his doorway, and was dragged from his home by the two girls, to defend the town as he had claimed to do in the war.

In an act of distraught alarm, Isiah collapsed before the girls and the gathering townspeople, confessing to his sin of misguiding their judgement about his actions within the war. In great and growing horror, the townsfolk began to panic, muttering amongst themselves of their growing doom. The oldest and wisest woman of the village, whom had never held faith in Isiah, pushed forward the young maiden who had appeared before Christian under his window.

As the maiden told of her plea to the young warlock, the townspeople began to move for the inn. As the dark wizards continued to destroy their homes, the townsfolk gathered once again below the window of the isolated young wizard, and set forth the young maiden to make her claim.

With her second plea, Christian saw the shamed and abandoned form of Isiah trembling near the outskirts of the town. Realising the townsfolk had discovered their own foolishness, the young warlock brandished his wand and set forth amongst the burning village to defeat the dark wizards and restore peace and prosperity to the townsfolk.

Once all was again well, Christian moved forth with the people, banishing the manipulative Isiah from the town and casting after him an enchantment which would ensure he no longer held the ability to lie.

With such good work done, the young warlock once again refused payment for his services, intending only to better the lives of those people that had been so kind to him on his first arrival. With great nobility of heart, and great courage of mind, Christian remained settled within the village as their protector, forever considered a man in great possession of wealth, love and wonder.

**A/N: **My own attempt at a tale from Beedle the Bard. Written spur of the moment on very little sleep. Hasn't been beta'd and I am too tired currently to check it, but I was really hoping to get some feedback. The moral was supposed to centre around not believing everything you are told, and how modesty gets you further in life, than bragging or lying. Thanks, Ange.


End file.
